Making Mini Movies – A mygoodplanet Kids News Production by Philipp Paske

Kids News returns with a mini-feature from our Munich-based Junior Reporter, Philipp Paske, who has compiled a short piece on how to make mini-movies with your smartphone (and some LEGO).

Stop-motion animation is one of the oldest techniques in cinema and has been used in countless productions for a wide rage of reasons. The process involves objects which are manipulated a tiny amount with each shot. The shots are then placed together sequentially to become a sequence of moving images which gives the impression of life and fluidity. First used in the late 1800s, it has since played a huge role in motion pictures.

From the Silent Era, where it was used extensively for special effects purposes, to modern day animation classics such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Wallace & Gromit and Coraline, the technique has always been prominent within film, but the technology and materials used were often costly and unachievable for most. Like everything else in 2016, however, it’s now available at your fingertips with a range of inexpensive apps.

Colin J McCracken is a content designer, editor and writer from Ireland. Giving form and function to the My Good Planet vision, it has been his role to design and develop the online platform, content and presence of the project.